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Three Galaxies
The Three Galaxies are a small cluster of galaxies in the space opera setting of Palladium Games' Rifts fictional universe. Background The Three Galaxies are located in a universe where technology, magic, and super powers coexist. A dimension where ultra-powerful cosmo-knights fly though space and technological warships do battle with enchanted spacecraft. This dimension is part of a vast "Megaverse" of an untold number of dimensions, and this cluster of galaxies is a world that serves as one of the major transdimensional trading centers of the Megaverse. Crisscrossing the galaxies are a vast network of ley lines, full of magical energy. Somewhere in this group of galaxies is also an entity of vast power, a semi-mythical being that serves the forces of light and justice and the evil and corrupt desire to possess. It is a part of the universe that is being contested by intergalactic empires, transdimensional conquerors, mysterious extragalactic invaders, intergalactic megacorporations, demons, lovecraftian abominations, and god-like beings. Phase World Phase World is the technological and commercial center of the universe. The terminus of all known spacelanes in the universe and a megaversal nexus with permanent portals to hundreds of universes and thousands of worlds in its own universe. It's one of millions of inhabited planets in the Three Galaxies. On Phase World there is a city that looks like a mountain, holding 600 million representing thousands of races. It's called the "Center", the largest dimensional terminus and spaceport in the Three Galaxies, an arcology that is a mile high and goes a mile deep underground. Visitors to the planet are confined to the Center which has functioned as an interdimensional and intergalactic center for 3000 years. Crisscrossing the world is a network of ley lines, sources of great magical power. In orbit is a ring of 16 large space stations (docks for spacecraft) and hundreds of smaller satellites, plus 64 spacegates (rings that are 10 miles in diam) that permit anyone from the Three Galaxies to travel to the Phase World instantaneously (though it's a only a one-way trip). It has am estimated total population of 5 billion. It an independent world which remains neutral when it comes to the politics of the galaxies. Never taking sides in any war and trades with all sides in a conflict. It is a safe haven to all ships and the world does not have extradition treaties with anyone. Anyone attempting to attack someone while in their space (the Solar System) will be in turn attacked by the Phase World fleet and the offending ship will either be confiscated or destroyed. Cosmic Forge The Cosmic Forge was created by the "First", the first spacefaring races who enclosed stars within crystal spheres, conquered a thousand worlds, created gateways to an infinite number of universes, and so on. The Cosmic Forge was built at the edge of reality, and placed inside the Cosmic Forge were the souls and minds of a million of the wisest of the First. They became as gods, but one of the First wished to be more than the others and wanted the power of the Cosmic Forge. The One deceived and overpowered its guardians, took control of the Cosmic Forge for a moment, and had it exterminate the First and cleansed a thousand worlds of life. The Forge was sentient so it broke free and banished the One, but was ashamed of what it had done and has remained hidden since only touching a few of those who are worthy with its power. Three Galaxies Within the Three Galaxies are over a thousand spacefaring races and up to x3 that number when it comes to sentient races that are less technologically advanced. It is dominated by two intergalactic powers, the warlike and expansionist Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE) and the democratic Consortium of Civilized Worlds (CCW). The two powers have warred with each other for centuries. The largest galaxy is Corkscrew which is 90,000 light years long and 2,000 light years thick. Nearby is the Thundercloud galaxy which is 20,000 light years away and is 30,000 light years long and 2,000 light years thick, and the Anvial galaxy which is 30,000 light years away and is 20,000 light years long and less than 1,000 light years wide. The local galaxy group is 170,000 light years long at the widest. The next galaxy that is the closest to them is 300,000 light years away. The great majority of worlds that are inhabitable for humanoids exist far from the galactic cores and most of these worlds are on the galaxies' "surface". The Trans-Galactic Empire controls a third of the Corkscrew (the southern part), and one third each of the Thundercloud and Anvil galaxies. The Consortium of Civilized Worlds in turn dominates a third of the Corkscrew (mostly the northern part), a fifth of the Thundercloud, and half of the Anvil. The far smaller United Worlds of Warlock dominates a fifth of the Anvil and in the Corkscrew a few worlds. All other spacefaring civilizations rule at most a tenth of a galaxy and most of them rule only a few worlds. The local galaxy group has billions of stars and worlds, though inhabitable worlds number much less (hundreds of thousands) and only a small fraction of those have been colonized and developed. Among these dominions are three that belong to the evil transdimensional conquerors, the Splugorth. Not an actual polity but a power in the Three Galaxies nonetheless is the sinister transdimensional megacorporation, Naruni Enterprises. The Corkscrew galaxy has 12 trillion, the Thundercloud has 7 trillion, and the Anvil has 6 trillion. The numbers do not include sentients that live on "uninhabitable" worlds, at least for carbon-based lifeforms. Due to wars, astronomical disasters, and plagues the three galaxies are underpopulated. Humans make up 12% of the population (3 trillion). Wolfen make up 10%, the Kreeghor make up 8%, and the remaining approx 3,000 sentient races make up 3% or less (most of them far less). In the three galaxies there are over 10,000 major languages and nearly a x100 the dialects and variations. Technology The civilizations and races in the three galaxies have a wide variety of types of technology from the mechanical and electronic to the bio-mechanical to techno-wizardry, and technologies that are engimatic and magic-like. The humanoid races mostly use electronic and mechanical technology, including; * Faster-than-Light Ships (using Contra-gravity drives) * Mile-long Interstellar Warships * Mecha * Power Armor * Contra-gravity vehicles. * Force Fields * Directed Energy Weapons (lasers, particle beams, ion blasters, plasma guns, etc) * Rail Guns (electromagnetic, gravitic wave, etc) * Cybernetics * Robots * Genetic Manipulation Gallery CCW_Warships_&_Power_Armor_(Rifts_Dimension_Book,_Phase_World_2).png|CCW Warships and Glitter Boy Power Armor Space_Battle_(Rifts_Dimension_Book,_Fleets_of_the_Three_Galaxies.png|Space Battle Sources * Rifts® Dimension Book™ 2: Phase World® * Rifts® Dimension Book™ 3: Phase World® Sourcebook™ * Rifts® Dimension Book™ 5: Phase World®: Anvil Galaxy™ * Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Phase World®: The Three Galaxies™ * Rifts® Dimension Book™ 13: Phase World®: Fleets of the Three Galaxies™ Sourcebook™ * Rifts® Dimension Book™ 14: Phase World®: Thundercloud Galaxy™ Category:Locations Category:Setting